Ron Daise, Brookgreen’s Vice-President for Creative Education, author, and historian and learn about the people, language, and culture of the Gullah Geechee people whose ancestors were enslaved from West Africa and brought here to work on plantations. Isolated on coastal barriers island their unique culture endures today. Through songs, stories, and audience participation Daise brings the Gullah culture to life and you will leave with a new appreciation and understanding of “Wha E Mean fa Be Gullah!”.

Ron Daise, Brookgreen’s Vice-President for Creative Education, author, and historian and learn about the people, language, and culture of the Gullah Geechee people whose ancestors were enslaved from West Africa and brought here to work on plantations. Isolated on coastal barriers island their unique culture endures today. Through songs, stories, and audience participation Daise brings the Gullah culture to life and you will leave with a new appreciation and understanding of “Wha E Mean fa Be Gullah!”.

Ron told us about his two trips to West Africa and how DNA confirmed his mother was from Siara Leone and his father from Gana in West Africa. Ron was raised by Gullah parents and grew up in a Gullah community in South Carolina. He accompanied a 10 year old slave girls decendants to West Africa. She was captured in Siara Leone and sold to an English slave traitor ship in the 1800’s. The reason slaves were taken from this area was that they knew rice farming and could bring more money than slaves taken from other parts of Africa.

Enjoy the shots I took today at the program. I forgot my camera this morning so had to use my cell.

Traditional Gullah Baskets

Gullah blanket and tools

Typical Gullah quilt

Broom in the back

Gullah chamber pot and basin

Gullah Geechee Iron Pot

Corn Shucker

Gullah dough tray

Gullah in typical dress

Gullah People

Geechee/Seminole Spirit Catcher

Picture of Gullah Rice Farmers

West African fishing net and basket

Original artwork of Vivian Mitchell of Riceboro, GA

depicts acts that represent the continuity of South African

Culture in America by the Gullah Geechee People.

Vivian Mitchell is a resident artist at Kunda Geechee

Museum in Riceboro, GA

I know this page was a little heavy to load but I wanted to share some of my photos. It was a lovely day, Then only thing that could have been better – the weather, it rained cats and dogs all day.

“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sailaway from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.” ~ Mark Twain